Mario In Puzzle & Dragons is A Licence To Print Money

How do you make even more money off of one of the most popular game franchises? Add a dash of gaming's most iconic character, that's how.

GungHo Online Entertainment just announced today an upcoming collaborative game on the Nintendo 3DS, Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. While it looks like Puzzle & Dragons with a Super Mario Bros. skin on it, GungHo has promised that it will be more than simply that.

As reported on inside games, the game takes place in the Mushroom Kingdom where strange mystical Drops appear, and Bowser uses their power to kidnap Princess Peach — because of course he would. It's up to Mario to embark on a puzzle battle adventure to rescue the princess — because of course it is.

With over 32 million downloads, Puzzle & Dragons is one of Japan's most popular smartphone games. Gaming's God, Shigeru Miyamoto, was at the announcement, where he noted that while he originally had no real interest in such puzzle games, when he actually had a chance to play the game he wondered why the game wasn't on the 3DS.

Afterwards, GungHo approached Nintendo and the 3DS version of the game, Puzzle & Dragons Z, was released. The idea for the new Mario version of the game was developed through that partnership.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition is scheduled for release on the 3DS in Japan on April 29. No word on an international release.

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